Road vehicle



ma n l M nd Nav. 21,1928. f 1,692,891

R. a.v AFAGEol.

nan vsHIcLs Original Filed April 23. 1 923 2 Sheets-Sheet l m amr.

Nov. 21, 192s. 1,692,891 R. B. FAGECL ROAD VEHICLE Original F1106 prl 23. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmm INVINTUC Patented Nov. 427, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.' i

'ROLLE IB. EAGEOL, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. I

ROAD VEHICLE.

Application led April 23,1923, Serial No. 633,887A Renewed April 7, 1928.

The invention relates to road vehicles and particularly to the running gear and spring suspension of such vehicle. The invention arranged in pairs, a pair of axles being con-v nected together to forni a truck. This construction is applicable to six-wheeled vehicles employing one four-Wheeled truck and to eight-wheeled vehicles 'employing two fourwheeled trucks. I prefer to-employ the in vention in connection with an leight-wheeled vehicle having a four-Wheeled front-truck,

the wheels of which are dirigible to steer the' vehicle and aour-Wheeled rear truck, the

wheels of which are driven to propel the vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide a spring suspension for a road vehicle which will produce improved riding qualities of the vehicle.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a four-Wheeled truck construction whichowill produce easy riding over rough and uneven lroads. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a longitudinal cushion between the truck and the .vehicle frame `to reduce the.

strain and jerksdue to acceleration and deceleration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a four-wheeled truck in which the axles may move relatively bodily without producing strains in the truck rame orthe vehicle frame. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a four-wheeled truck construction which will minimize the transfer of lroad shocks from the wheels to the vehicle frame.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, Will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outlinein full, that form of my invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specifica-- tion. In said drawings I have shown several dilerent embodiments of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the forms shown, since the invention, as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of other forms.

Referring to said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of a front four-wheeled truck, taken on the line 1-1,

Fig. 2, a portion of the structure being broken away to disclose the arrangement of the connection between the bolster and one axle. further relates to road vehicles having axles Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the truck, the left hand portion of the figure being` a section taken on the linc 2 2, Fig. 1, and the right hand portion of the figure being a section taken on'the line 21- ,.Fig -1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of a front truck, showing a modified form of construction. c

Fig. 4 is a Vertical longitudinal section of a front truck, vshowing a'further modified form of construction.

The truck construction and spring suspension of my invention are particularly adapted for use in connection 'with eight-Wheeled road vehicles having four 'front steering wheels and four rear driving Wheels. In the drawings, I have shown -the invention as applied to the front steering wheels, but it is'to be understood that the invention is also applicable to the rear driving wheels. The

truck of my invention comprises twol parallel transverse axles 3 4, each axle being provided at its ends,l with road engaging wheelsY 5. These h wheels may be either steerin' wheels or driving wheels and vpreferably all of the wheels are provided with brake drums 6, so that all eight wheels ofthe vehicle mayf be subjected to the braking effect. The iront axles are (preferably formed of a tube 7, having forge yokes 8, secured thereto atthe ends,

the ends of the yokes being formed torecive the pivot pin of the wheel. The tread of `the wheels may be varied by varying thi*J length of the tule 7.

The axles 3 4, comprising a truck, are con-` nected together adjacent their ends by a lon- Gitudinally extending, rigid bolster 9, the holsters being arranged at opposite lsides of the vehicle frame 12.- In traveling 'over roads, the two axles must be so connected that i theyl are capable of-independent |movement wit respect to each other, in order that the frame may be relieved of destructive strains ico and this movement is provided for by the unsV other. As the vehicle travels along a road,

one wheel may run over an elevation throwing one side of the axle upwardly and the connection between the bolster and the axle is such, that this action can take, place without subjecting the bolster to strains. This is accomplished by insertin a block of resilient material 14, such as ruber, between the axle and the bolster. The yoke 8, on the axle, is

'provided with a circumferential groove in f are thus contained in the seat 16, between the pine 17 and 18, and since the block is of resilient or conformable-material, a slight rotational movement of the axle, withvrespect to the bolster, is provided. The interposition of the block of conformable material, between the bolster seats 16 and the axle, also permits. the axle to assume varyin angular positions in the vertical plane, by de orming the blocks, without subjecting the bolster to strain.

The bolster is pivotally supported at its .center so that it 'may oscillate m a vertical plane as the wheels strike obstructions in the road. The pivot or stub shaft 22, on which the bolster is mounted, is carried by a bracket 23, which is suitably secured to the center of the load carrying leaf spring 24, there being a leaf spring on each s1de of the frame, for each truck. To minimize the amount of motion transferred to the spring, due to vertical movement of one axle, as when the wheels on that axle are crossing an elevation in the road, the axis of the pivot 22 is placed in a plane -below the plane passing through the axes of the wheels 5. The axis of the pivot 22 is preferably disposed in the plane of the axes'of the axles at the oint where they pass throughthe blocks 14 1n the bolster seat, as is shown in Figures 3 and 4, but it is not essential that the axis of the pivot 22 be placed that low, as-long as it occurs below the plane passing through lthe axes of the wheels. By employing a rigid bolster 9, the distance he- -tween the two axles of the truck is kept constant, so that steering of the vehicle is not aeeted adversely, diie to a constantly varying difference in distance between the axles, as occurs when. the axles are connected by a leaf spring. y l

Means are provided for flexibly connecting the Vend of the leaf spring 24 with the frame 12, so that the spring mag readil dex under varying loads on the ve icle. have produced a simpleand ecient form 4of shackle connection between the. end of theleaf. spring Locaal and the vehicle frame, which connection reuires no lubrication and which is practically lree from wear; The shackle connections are preferably formed of strips of fabric, such as is used for lining brake bands, alternating with thin strips of steel, of'suchthickness that they are readily flexible.

Secured to the frame 12 are spaced brackets 25, to the lower ends-of which are secured the flexible shackles 26, each shackle, consisting of a plurality of stri s of fabric 27, alternating with strips of exible metal i28. The ends of the spring 24 are secured to the flexible shackle 26 above the point of their connection with' the bracket 25, so that a rflexible connection is provided between theI ends of the springs and the bracket 25. The upper leaf 31 of the leaf spring 24 is turned upwardk on its ends to form flan es 33 and these,

flanges are secured to the exible shackles 26 b Y bolts -extending ythrough the flanges and t e shackles. The ends of the next 4leaf 32, are turned down to form flanges 34 andthese flanges are secured to the shackles 26 by bolts passing through the flanges and the shackles.'

The flanges 33 and 34 lie'in the-saine vertical plane and, due to the curvature of the bend between the leaf and the Harige, the two upper leaves of the spring are permitted a slight sliding movement with respect to each other as the iiexure of the spring varies. s

By hanging the frame from the end of th spring, on lxible shackles, the frame has a limited longitudinal movement with respect tothe spring, whichl produces cushioning movement during acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. This swinging movement relieves the frame of-strains and jolts and [produces a very easy riding vehicle. To revent this swinging movement from continuing, after it has been initiated, I provideV means for limiting the swinging movement .and damping it. n In the constructionshown in Figure 3, I have provided the bracket 25 with backing -walls 36 and between ythe backing walls and the upper portions of the flexible shackles, I have insertedcoiled springs 37, whichare normally under 'Slight compression.l These springs 37 are alined with the up erleaves of the leaf springt and serve to cus ion the swinging movement of the leaf springwith respect to the frame.

Instead of making the'beylster"9` of a vcasting or for ing, as is shown lin Figs'. 1 and 3, it may be uilt up of leaves,as shownin Fig.

4the leaves being tightly clamped together so vthat lthey presenta substantially ri id structure, thus preventing an material'l ifference in distance between t e axles. The leaves 38, of which the bolster lis huiltv up, are clamped together .by bolts 39, which also clam the leaves to the housings 41 in 'which the lock of conformable material is disposed. At their centers, the leaves 38 are clamped to the bracket 42 by the bolts and axles, com rising connections ,includin yportion from said bracket; yielding connections supported from each end of said spring; and a rame supported from said yielding connections.

2. The combination as set forth in claim l in which said lirst mentioned means comprises a leaf spring.

3. A vehicle comprising a pair of substantially parallel axles; resilient means with the ends thereof supported from said axles by means of yielding universal connections; a member pivotally supported from the mid portion of said resilient means with its axis of movement substantially in the plane of said axles; a leaf spring supported at its mid portion from said bracket; a yielding member supported from each end ofsald leaf spring; and a frame supported movably with relation to said leaf spring from said yielding members. p

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said resilient means comprises a pair of springs disposed on opposite sides of said axles.

5. In a road vehicle, a pair of substantially parallel axles, means interconnecting said i deformable locks for permitting c ushloned universal movement of each of said axles in relation toA said means, a bracket` pivotally y supported from the mid-portion of said means, a leaf spring supported at its midportion from said bracket, yielding connections from each end of said spring anda frame supported from said yielding connections.

6. In a road vehicle, a pair of substantially parallel axles, housings carried by each of said axles and connected thereto by means including deformable blocks so that limited cushioned universal movement of each axle relative to the housing carried thereby is permitted, springs interconnecting said axles, said springs being disposed on opposite sides of the axles and connected to said housings, a

bracket pivoted to said springs between the ends thereof, the axis of the pivot being substantially in the horizontal plane that contains the axes of the axles, and resilient means interconnecting said bracket and the frame, said resilient means being flexible in a direction substantially transverse -to the length of said frame and in a direction substantially endwise of said frame.

7. In a' road vehicle, a pairI of substantially parallel axles, means interconnecting said axles including connections to the axles having deformable blocks permitting cushioned universal movement of each of said axles with relation to said means, a bracket pivotmy hand.

. ROLLIE B; FAGEOL. 

